Ten minutes had passed and nothing.
"Are you going to search all the deserts before you tell the truth?"
A voice sounded from behind her. She jumped up, swirling around so quickly that she bumped her hand on the desk with such an impact that a streak of pain overwhelmed her body. She hissed but toned it down right away. She didn't want to seem more vulnerable to the man than she already did. Even though she knew she wasn't alone in the diner, and that sooner or later she would have to approach Elio with the truth, he still startled her by showing up in the office.
"If so, may I remind you that we're in Las Vegas and there are many of those around us," he continued, mocking her.
Savannah braved herself by looking at him, ignoring the sharp pain in her hand. If it was broken, she'd die. If the man in front of her didn’t kill her first.
His facial features changed immediately as she met his eyes. He probably wasn't used to people doing that in his field of work. At least not the ones he was dealing with. And Savannah understood why all too well. She was barely able to keep eye contact with him herself. Maybe he hated that? Maybe she should just abandon looking brave because for her to survive this encounter he needed to feel in power?
He was in power.
But his expression still wasn't angry. Confused and fascinated at the same time. She took a more careful look at him. He had tousled dark brown hair, which was thick and lustrous. His eyes were mesmerizing, flecks of silvery light danced in them. His face was strong and defined, his features moulded from granite. His body was toned as his muscles perfectly filled his clothes. The cigarette in -between his fingers. As much as Savannah didn't want to see it in such a situation, she found the man extremely handsome.
His sharp jaw and angular cheekbones moved as his perfect, full lips twisted, amusement all over his face.
I'm glad you find this situation funny, she thought, however, there was no way she'd ever say it out loud.
"I do very much." He grinned, making Savannah realize that she, indeed, had said the words and he'd heard them. She turned red and hot. Now she really was in an awful position and the man's smile didn't fool her. Mafia men weren't ones to let others insult them.
Dread overcame her.
"Relax, I'm not here to hurt you," he assured her. "You look like you're going to have a heart attack any second."
"I'm sorry," she whispered, dropping her gaze.
Elio ticked, puffing away cigarette smoke. "For what? Being scared of my position in the mafia and what I could do, or that your boss fucked with me?"
She stayed quiet. What could she say right about now that would seem even half-way true? She was mostly sorry about all of that, as well as talking back to him, which he hadn't acknowledged further. Her wittiness showed up in the most horrible time possible.
What's more, Elio wasn't even afraid of stating that he was part of the mafia, which meant that he wasn't counting on facing any consequences from being so straightforward.
"I sure hope it's for the first one, because that I could actually get behind. Tell Hunter that I will be back in three days right before closing. If he isn't here, he'll regret it gravely," he said, turned back and moved towards the front door. Savannah followed him, hoping that he'd actually leave.
As he was about to push the handle down, he looked at the girl once more, regarding her with the same curiosity as before. "What's your name?" he asked.
Pause.
Three deep breaths.
"Savannah," she let out. It wasn't like she could actually refuse to tell him, even if every fibre of her body wanted to do just that.
Elio nodded. "I hope to see you again, Savannah. And get that hand checked out, it might be broken."
He put out the cigarette on the table and then he was gone.
Perfect, with her schedule, she was supposed to be here when Elio would come back.
Chapter Three
Gastone Conte didn’t look up from the stack of documents laying on the table in front of him when Elio came back home. He was clenching a pen tightly, his fingers turning white from the pressure as he was stressing out about another failed business deal he undertook. With all the branches he was trying to expand to, one would think that he could make at least some of them successful. Yet the only ones that were still working, were businesses that had been graciously given to him the moment he became a Capodecina for Noah Falcone. He was losing more than he could afford and money was never there to cover the expenses at the end of the month. So he always burnt the candle at both ends when it was time to pay the percentage of money to Capo dei Capi, looking for some cutbacks.
Elio never understood how the fuck such shortage was even possible, however, he wasn't really involved in the business side of his father's work like his twin brother, Fabro. Thankfully, he was more into punishing people, using his fists and weapons than being bent over papers each day. Especially when he witnessed moments like this, being an Enforcer sounded much better.
He greeted Father as it was required, out of respect for elders, about to head further into the house.
"How was it?" asked Gastone, finally granting him with his attention.
Elio shrugged, not really feeling like saying that Hunter wasn't there to pay up. Right about now, it was probably the only thing that Father counted on. He'd hear another reason as to why he wasn't good enough to take care of anything more
